Originally Posted by deakin

Now i know less than jack about physics but i had a thought about powering a engine using lightning streams.

If we had the materials and technology to produce and contain a constant lightning bolt within a confined area. Could this be used as a replacement instead of burning fuel in a turbine engine ? From what i've read the temperature generated would be around 30,000c What would happen to the incoming air at this high temperature. Would it just expand or would it change to some type of plasma. Could the concept of a lightning engine work ?

See very basic drawing below.